Gluten In Drugs--How To Evaluate

[margotb]

Hi!

I am having anxiety and needing to sleep more. I was tasked by my doctor to root out unsuspecting places where gluten could be hiding. I thought my Ambien equivalent Zolpidem might be where I got glutened. I called and they told me while they do not certify their drugs as gluten-free and have no information about the production facility, no gluten ingredients are used. So is this enough to consider a drug safe? I feel really confused about how to evaluate whether drugs are really gluten-free especially since no law governs this.

Would you take it? How do you evaluate drugs?

Thanks!

[sariesue]

Many places don't want to certify their products gluten free because that is considered a legal statement and they want to cover their butts. So it depends on how sensitive you personally, are. For me I consider a medication safe for me if it is one, medically needed and has no gluten ingredients. But I do not react to foods that are made in the same facility as gluten so I figure it is worth it.

However, has your doctor looking into your symptoms being side effects of the ambien not symptoms of being glutened? I had to stop ambien due to increased anxiety. And I know that all prescription sleep aids have the side effect of excessive sleepiness/drowsiness. It is possible to develop side effects while on a medication even if the side effects were not present initially.

[ravenwoodglass]

Is your anxiety what is keeping you from sleeping? If that is the case you might do better with a low dose of an antianxiety med rather than a sleep aid. I have anxiety and use a minimal dose of alprazolam, the generic form of Xanax. The generic made by Sandoz is safe but name brand Xanax wasn't last time I checked.